After a 40-year tenure at the university as a dedicated member of IT Services, Cindy Knott has announced that she will be retiring on Jan. 31. 

Knott joined the U of A as a data entry operator on Sept. 19, 1983, in the Department of Computing Services, now known as IT Services. From 1984 to 2024, she held various positions — one as a computer tape librarian before several promotions in roles such as applications programmer and systems analyst.

"In each of my roles, customer service was always a top priority," Knott said. "I have really enjoyed helping and interacting with my colleagues across campus and all the people here at the university." 

In 1996, Knott was assigned to work on the BASIS team, helping to develop and support several applications. For about 10 years, Knott supported university networked printer setups for printing BASIS reports, while also serving as the BASIS help desk before the transition to Workday. She also provided support for the Faculty Information System, which enhances the information captured and tracked for faculty annual reports. 

"In her decades-long career with IT Services, Cindy has been a vital part of the university," said Camilla Shumaker, director of business application services. "She has worked in many different roles and experienced huge transformations in campus technology, and she has been a reliable, meticulous and collegial member of the university staff."  

Shumaker shared that, "Cindy's dedication and team spirit have extended to all parts of her job: making sure our faculty and staff get the tech support they need, sharing her knowledge and expertise with co-workers and organizing social events to bring teams together. Cindy will be missed, but she leaves a legacy of hard work and quality service behind her." 

In her retirement, Knott looks forward to spending time outdoors and having more time to partake in her favorite activities: cycling, running, swimming, gardening and traveling. A celebration of her retirement will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, in the break room between Uptown Campus Building West and East.